Toyota today issued the following statement regarding the hearing on the company’s motions to dismiss economic loss claims in Multidistrict Litigation underway in California:

“Importantly, today's hearing did not address the merits of plaintiffs' allegations and did not consider any evidence. At this early stage, this analysis by the Court requires a basic assumption that the plaintiffs’ allegations are true, even though they are unproven. The burden is now squarely on plaintiffs' counsel to prove their allegations and Toyota is confident that no such proof exists.

“This lawsuit is based on a wholly unsubstantiated claim that there is a defect in Toyota’s Electronic Throttle Control System that causes unintended acceleration. But even after months of intense publicity and multiple investigations, the plaintiffs have neither cited nor identified any specific defect in Toyota’s Electronic Throttle Control System and no credible scientific theory or proof has been advanced to support the allegations in their consolidated complaint.

“We firmly believe that Toyota's Electronic Throttle Control System is safe, well designed, thoroughly tested, and robust. We look forward to the time when the science and engineering behind the Electronic Throttle Control System are given a full and fair evaluation by the court. Toyota is confident that the evidence will confirm what millions of Toyota drivers prove every day: that they can depend upon their vehicles to provide safe, reliable transportation.”